The hundred or so Rwandans who had arrived in recent days in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) claiming to be fleeing the anti-Covid vaccination in their country were sent back to Rwanda on Thursday, a local Congolese source said.
“All Rwandans who were staying illegally on the island of Idjwi, located on Lake Kivu, bordering the DRC and Rwanda, “were returned to their country this Thursday morning,” said Roger Ntambuka, head of the Ntambuka “chieftaincy”, an administrative entity located in the southern part of the island.
There were “101 people, men, women and children, who boarded a large private boat,” he said. “They were opposed to their repatriation but we negotiated with them all day yesterday, we forced them to embark”, added the official.
These Rwandans had arrived in small groups and had settled in two villages. They claimed to be fleeing the vaccination against Covid-19, which is mandatory in Rwanda in public transport, bars and restaurants or during conferences and meetings. But the inhabitants of the island had shown some concern and wondered about their intentions.
In a statement, the Rwandan government said Wednesday that “a handful of Rwandans had left for neighboring countries claiming to be against vaccination, mainly for religious reasons. “Most of them have returned or are in the process of returning (to Rwanda) thanks to bilateral cooperation, including those who went to the island of Idjwi,” the statement added, stressing that “these Rwandans would be reassured (…) and informed of the benefits of vaccination.